Distributed Dynamic Event-Triggered Output Tracking for Heterogeneous Multi-agent Systems with An Input-Bounded Leader

Purpose This paper proposes an adaptive distributed observer-based optimal control protocol designed to tackle the challenges posed by unavailable state information, without relying on global information, while ensuring optimal system performance in heterogeneous multi-agent systems. The purpose of this paper is to achieve distributed output tracking control under these constraints. Design/methodology/approach An adaptive distributed observer using single adaptive and local static gains estimates leader’s output. A feedback-feedforward control policy is designed for optimal tracking. Unlike conventional methods, this reduces communication load and broadens applications when leader’s state is unmeasurable. Findings A numerical simulation example related to autonomous ground vehicle is given to demonstrate that the proposed control algorithm can ensure output tracking in heterogeneous multi-agent systems. Research limitations/implications Although the proposed algorithm can effectively guarantee output tracking, further research is needed to design an optimal controller for model-free system dynamics in unknown environments. Practical implications The proposed method can be implemented for formation control of multi-robot systems since each robot can measure the relative output information, thereby effectively overcoming the limitation of unavailable system states. Originality/value This paper introduces a novel adaptive distributed observer-based optimal control protocol for heterogeneous multi-agent systems, uniquely relying on a single adaptive gain and local output information, eliminating the need for global network data. This reduces communication overhead and enhances applicability in scenarios where the leader’s state is unmeasurable. Unlike existing methods, it integrates optimal tracking control via the Bellman equation, considering transient performance. Its value lies in practical implementation for multi-robot formation control, though limitations include the need for further research into model-free systems in unknown environments.

To guarantee the stability and performance of an overall heterogeneous multi-agent system, feedback control structures must be capable of addressing the presence of heterogeneous agent-based nonlinear uncertainties, unknown actuation performance, and coupling effects. Additionally, some tasks require agents to track the leader's state and reach different states in a distributed way. Therefore, this paper proposes a distributed adaptive controller that drives a set of agents to user-assigned positions in the presence of the mentioned heterogeneous system anomalies. To address actuator dynamics, a hedging-based reference model is used to decouple adaptive updating from the actuator dynamics. To deal with the coupled dynamics, an observer-based estimation algorithm is proposed. Finally, the low-frequency learning method is used to deal with the high-frequency control response and, therefore, to obtain a better transient performance. The overall closed-loop system's stability is investigated using the Lyapunov Stability Theory, and the Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMI) technique is employed to identify stability limits regarding the actuator bandwidths of each agent. Illustrative numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the designed controller's performance in a heterogeneous uncertain multi-agent system's dynamics with unknown actuation capabilities and coupled dynamics.

An Internal Model Principle for Consensus in Heterogeneous Linear Multi-Agent Systems

In this paper, we consider the cooperative output regulation problem of heterogeneous linear multi-agent systems (MASs) by event-triggered control. We first develop an event-triggering mechanism for leader-following consensus of homogeneous MASs. Then by proposing an internal reference model for each agent, a novel distributed event-triggered control scheme is developed to solve the cooperative output regulation problem of heterogeneous MASs. Furthermore, a novel self-triggered control scheme is also proposed, such that continuous monitoring of measurement errors can be avoided. The feasibility of both proposed control schemes is studied by excluding Zeno behavior for each agent. An example is finally provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the control schemes.

Distributed Consensus Control for General Linear Multi-agent Systems via a Dynamic Event-triggered Strategy

Double adaptive event-triggered strategy for leader-following group consensus of heterogeneous multi-agent systems in cooperative–competitive networks

Consensus conditions for heterogeneous multi-agent sampled-data control systems with nonlinearities and inter-agent communication delay.

Fully distributed event-triggered output synchronization of heterogeneous multi-agent systems over directed switching networks

SummaryThis paper studies the bipartite output synchronization problem of general linear heterogeneous multiagent systems on signed digraphs. We first show that, for heterogeneous multiagent systems, the bipartite output synchronization over the structurally balanced signed digraphs and the conventional output synchronization over the associated nonnegative digraphs are equivalent. Then, 3 different control protocols, using full‐state feedback, static output feedback, and dynamic output feedback are designed at each agent to solve the bipartite output synchronization problem based on solutions to the corresponding output regulator equations. Explicit local design procedures are proposed for all 3 control protocols. The compensators employed in these protocols incorporate only one copy of the virtual exosystem's dynamics, regardless of the dimensions of the outputs. This results in lower‐dimensional compensators and controllers and, hence, is more computationally tractable compared to the popular internal model principle‐based control protocols. Numerical simulations over 3 different signed communication digraphs validate the proposed control protocols.

This paper addresses the formation motion control of heterogeneous multi-agent unmanned systems via a distributed consensus approach. The considered heterogeneous system consisted of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned surface vehicles (USVs). A leader-following consensus scheme and APF method are used to construct UAV-USVs Formation task requirements. A fuzzy-based sliding mode control approach is proposed to ensure the formation assembles in a finite time, and the finite-time stability is proved by the Lyapunov stability theorem. To highlight the cooperation within the heterogeneous systems, such as UAV and USV, a novel vision-based path re-planning approach is proposed. Simulation results confirm the efficiency of the proposed approach.

The cooperative output regulation of a linear multi-agent system can be viewed as a generalization of the leader-following consensus problem and was studied recently for the case where the system uncertain parameters vary in a sufficiently small neighborhood of their nominal value. This case was handled by the internal model design which converts the problem into a simultaneous eigenvalue placement problem of an augmented multi-agent system. In this paper, we further consider the cooperative robust output regulation problem for a class of minimum phase linear multi-agent systems in the sense that the controller allows the system uncertain parameters to vary in an arbitrarily prescribed compact subset. For this purpose, we introduce a new type of internal model that allows the cooperative robust output regulation problem of the given plant to be converted into a robust stabilization problem of an augmented multi-agent system. We then solve our problem by combining a simultaneous high-gain state feedback control technique and a distributed high-gain observer technique. A special case of our result leads to the solution of the leader-following robust consensus problem for a class of uncertain multi-agent systems. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

This paper investigates the formation control problem of heterogeneous discrete-time nonlinear multi-agent systems with structural uncertainties. The control objective is to make the outputs of agents reach a desired formation while tracking a leader. The formation control problem of heterogeneous discrete-time multi-agent systems is first converted into a robust output regulation problem, and then, a distributed formation control scheme based on output regulation framework is proposed. A $p$ -copy internal model is synthesized into the distributed formation control law such that the overall closed-loop system can be robust to structural uncertainties. It is shown that the heterogeneous discrete-time nonlinear multi-agent system can reach the desired formation regardless of small parameter permutations of agents under the proposed control law. Finally, simulation and experiment studies are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control law.

This paper studies the multi-tracking control for high-order heterogeneous multi-agent systems under a directed acyclic graph. The authors first convert the multi-tracking control problem for multi-agent systems into the zero steady-state error control problem of some independent subsystems. Based on final-value theorem and Mason's rule, a sufficient condition for achieving the multi-tracking control is proposed. It explicitly reveals how the system dynamic and desired object dynamic jointly affect the multi-tracking control of heterogeneous multi-agent systems. Meanwhile, a new result on the steady-state error for multi-subnetworks is established. Moreover, the multi-tracking control for heterogeneous multi-agent systems with time delay is discussed. Some simulations are performed to illustrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results.

In this research, we address the problem of a lack of communications between heterogeneous multi-agent systems. For example, the KQML-based agent cannot talk to the FIPA-based agent and vice versa. We have identified three main reasons why different multi-agent systems are not interoperable, which we call architectural elements: (1) inconsistent mental state structures; (2) different syntax and semantics of the agent communication languages; and (3) incompatible message transport mechanisms. To solve this problem, we propose a gateway agent as a translator of the agent communications that assures the integration of heterogeneous multi-agent systems. We have developed a prototype of the gateway agent that can translate messages between the KQML agent and FIPA agent. Based on the results, we are studying a higher level of interoperability based on conversation protocols between agents.

ABSTRACTIn this paper, we consider bipartite tracking of linear multi-agent systems with a leader. Both homogeneous and heterogeneous systems are investigated. The communication between agents is modelled by a directed signed graph, where the negative (positive) edges represent the antagonistic (cooperative) interactions among agents. Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR)-based approach is used to derive the distributed protocol for the follower agent to achieve bipartite tracking of the leader. It is shown that solving the bipartite tracking problem over the structurally balanced signed graph is equivalent to solving the cooperative tracking problem over a corresponding graph with nonnegative edge weights. This bridges the gap between the newly raised bipartite tracking problem and the well-studied cooperative tracking problem. Three novel control protocols are proposed for both cooperative and bipartite output tracking of heterogeneous linear multi-agent systems. Numerical examples are given to show the effectiveness of our control protocols.